Despite the Circumstances
by tragicromancewriter
Summary: Even though there was a full scale war, even though he was constantly worried about his friends, despite the fact that Voldemort was gaining more power, more followers…killing more people while James and his family hid….despite all that…
1. Despite the Circumstances

_A/N An idea I had based on a scene from Deathly Hallows-belonging to JKRowling…along with the characters…..I know, its not very original..._

**Despite the Circumstances**

Harry reached out and tried to grab the green puff of smoke. James laughed as disappointment filled his son's face and he caused another puff of smoke (this time a shade of red that perfectly matched Lily's hair) to erupt out of his wand.

Harry laughed, and tried to catch this one as well. He wrapped his fingers around it-but when he tightened his grip the smoke slipped through his fingers. Harry looked in amazement (though James thought that he looked a little disappointed that he hadn't been able to catch it).

James caused a purple (that reminded him of something Sirius had worn on a dare once) smoke puff to float upwards next. Harry let out a laugh. James caused several more puffs of smoke-all different colors-to float out of the tip of his wand. He watched his son, laughing alongside him, as Harry tried to grab the smoke.

James was just causing a puff of smoke that was the exact shade of blue as Harry's pajamas when Lily walked into the room from the kitchen. From the clanking he had heard earlier he realized that she must have been doing the dishes from dinner-although he would never admit it, he felt a small pang of disappointment that he hadn't done them with her. He was bored enough that chores had become interesting to him. Plus, he loved the interaction with Lily. It was as if nothing were wrong-as if they were a normal family not trapped in their own home.

"Now that you've wound him up…" Lily said, trailing off as she interrupted his thoughts, knowing he would understand that she was teasing. Her green eyes were twinkling with mischief-green eyes that Harry had inherited. Something James was prouder of than he should have been. "He was supposed to be in bed an hour ago."

James knew it would be useless to argue with her, he had tried to win that argument too many times. Besides, even though he loved spending time with his son (and would have loved to stay up the whole night with him and Lily), he was tired and ready for this day to end.

James scooped Harry up-who squealed with delight at the sudden motion-and smiled at his son's reaction. He handed him to Lily, who gently kissed Harry's forehead as she took him into her arms.

James smiled at his family, throwing down his wand so he could stretch properly. He yawned hugely as he did so, only just realizing how late it really was and how long he had been up-and how mentally tired he was as well. Tired of the secrecy, tired of living in hiding, tired of wondering day after day if it would end-if that day would be the day they could go see Sirius or Remus at their own houses-or even just go for a casual trip to Diagon Alley.

James smiled through his yawn as he watched Lily carry Harry out of the room to put him to bed. Even though there was a full scale war, even though he was constantly worried about his friends, despite the fact that Voldemort was gaining more power, more followers…killing more people while James and his family hid….despite all that….

Despite the circumstances, James Potter had never been happier in his life.

END


	2. Alternate Editing

_A/N this is another way I thought it could be presented (so its the same as the first chapter, only with exerts from Deathly Hallows)…and I couldn't pick which one I liked better….Everything in italics is owned by J.K. Rowling-NOT ME! No matter how much I wish….Characters are also hers too. Damn, I don't own anything in this story do I?_

**Despite the Circumstances**

_The night was wet and windy, two children dressed as pumpkins waddling across the square, and the shop windows covered in paper spiders, all the tawdry Muggle trappings of a world in which they did not believe…And he was gliding along, that sense of purpose and power and rightness in him that he always knew on these occasions…Not anger…that was for weaker souls than he…but triumph, yes…He had waited for this, he had hoped for it…._

_"Nice costume, mister!"_

_He saw the small boy's smile falter as he ran near enough to see beneath the hood of the cloak, saw the fear cloud his painted face: Then the child turned and ran away…Beneath the robe he fingered his wand…one simple movement and the child would never reach his mother…but unnecessary, quite unecssary…._

_And along a new and darker street he moved, and now his destination was in sight at last, the Fidelius Charm broken, though they did not know it yet…And he make less noise than the dead leaves slithering along the pavement as he drew level with the dark hedge, and stared over it…_

Harry reached out and tried to grab the smoke. James laughed as disappointment filled his son's face and he caused another puff of smoke (this time a shade of red that perfectly matched Lily's hair) to erupt out of his wand.

Harry laughed, and tried to catch this one as well. He wrapped his fingers around it-but when he tightened his grip the smoke slipped through his fingers. Harry looked in amazement (though he looked a little disappointed that he hadn't been able to catch it).

James caused a purple (that reminded him of something Sirius had worn on a dare once) smoke puff to float upwards next. Harry let out a laugh. James caused several more puffs-all different colors-to float out of the tip of his wand. He watched his son, laughing alongside him, as Harry tried to grab the smoke.

_They had not drawn the curtains; he saw them quite clearly in their little sitting room, the tall black-haired man in his glasses, making puffs of colored smoke erupt from his wand for the amusement of the small black-haired boy in his blue pajamas. The child was laughing and trying to catch the smoke, to grab it in his small fist…._

James was just causing a puff that was the exact shade of blue as Harry's pajamas when Lily walked into the room from the kitchen. From the clanking he had heard earlier he realized that she must have been doing the dishes from dinner-although he would never admit it, he felt a small pang of disappointment that he hadn't done them with her, he was bored enough that chores had become interesting to him. Plus, he loved the interaction with Lily. It was as if nothing were wrong-as if they were a normal family not trapped in their own home.

"Now that you've wound him up…" Lily said, trailing off as she interrupted his thoughts, knowing he would understand that she was teasing. Her green eyes were twinkling with mischief-green eyes that Harry had inherited. Something James was prouder of than he should have been. "He was supposed to be in bed an hour ago."

James knew it would be useless to argue with her, he had tried to win that argument too many times. Besides, even though he loved spending time with his son (and would have loved to stay up the whole night with him and Lily), he was tired and ready for this day to end.

James scooped Harry up-who squealed with delight at the sudden motion-and smiled at his son's reaction. He handed him to Lily, who gently kissed the top of Harry's head as she took him into her arms.

_A door opened and the mother entered, saying words he could not hear, her long, dark-red hair falling over he face. Now the father scooped up the son and handed him to the mother. He threw down his wand upon the sofa and stretched, yawing…._

James smiled at his family, throwing down his wand so he could stretch properly. He yawned hugely as he did so, only just realizing how late it really was and how long he had been up-and how mentally tired he was as well. Tired of the secrecy, tired of living in hiding, tired of wondering day after day if it would end-if that day would be the day they could go see Sirius or Remus or Peter at their own houses-or even just go for a casual trip to Diagon Alley.

James smiled through his yawn as he watched Lily carry Harry out of the room to put him to bed. Even though there was a full scale war, even though he was constantly worried about his friends, despite the fact that Voldemort was gaining more power, more followers…killing more people while James and his family hid….despite all that….

_The gate creaked a little as he pushed it open, but James Potter did not hear. _

Despite the circumstances, James Potter had never been happier in his life.

_His white hand pulled out the wand beneath his cloak and pointed it at the door, which burst open._

_He was over the threshold as James came sprinting into the hall. It was easy, too easy, he had not even picked up his wand…._

_"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!"_

_Hold him off, without a wand in his hand!...He laughed before casting the curse…._

_"Avada Kedavra!"_

_The green light filled the cramped hallway, it lit the pram pushed against the wall, it made the banisters glare like lighting rods, and James Potter fell like a marionette whose strings had been cut…._


End file.
